Nuclear war threatens the unborn
In U.S. dioceses, Jan. 22 is observed as a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. The anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Jan. 22 has been a touchstone in the movement to build a legal hedge around life beginning at conception.
The same date is an important landmark for another life issue, as well. On Jan. 22, 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force. The first international treaty designed to facilitate global, verifiable nuclear disarmament, the TPNW now has 73 states parties and 25 signatories, with more in the pipeline. The very first United Nations member to sign and ratify the treaty in 2017? The Holy See.
At the end of World War II, of the babies in utero during the atomic bombing of Nagasaki who didn’t die immediately from the blast, burns or radiation poisoning, half were spontaneously aborted, stillborn, or died in infancy. A third of the remainder were born with abnormalities, intellectual disabilities, or low height/weight. All were at high risk for cancer later in life.
An all-out nuclear war between the United States and Russia would mean instantaneous death or death soon thereafter for tens of millions of unborn children, millions more deformed or stunted, and billions of once potential lives never to be.
Pope Francis rightly condemns both the possession and the threat of use of nuclear weapons. The TPNW would serve as legal protection of unborn children on a vast scale. May its adoption by the world’s nations be part of our prayers on Jan. 22, as well.
– Steve Baggarly, Norfolk
Why are babies denied basic rights?
I don’t know how you feel about babies, but, I love them. Babies are cute. Even an ugly baby is beautiful. Their laugh is contagious. They love to be cuddled and bond with their mothers. The Constitution guarantees that all people have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Why are babies denied these rights?
First of all, some females do not want babies. They don’t want a family life. They don’t want the responsibility. A baby interferes with their job, leisure activities, financial goals, and figure.
The medical world, responsible for saving and treating humanity, has developed many procedures to end the life of a baby in the mother’s womb. Their main objective is to ensure that the baby is dead before he sees daylight, even at nine months. Some doctors now think that these womb babies feel pain when they are killed and want a more humane approach to killing them in their mother’s womb.
Children have our genes. They are truly a part of us. Parents have the wonderful joy of watching their children develop into adults. In our final days, our children give us comfort and support.
This process is necessary for the survival of humanity. Our current anti-humanity culture will result in the dissolution of the family, which has been the centerpiece of our civilizations. Without the family, the earth will become our hell.
Where does abortion fit into the guaranteed “right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”? When did we take from God the right of life or death and give it to a human being?
– Ed Doherty, Hampton